Thai spring rolls are deceptively easy to make. Once you have tried and succeeded you will wonder why you have taken so long to make them. Once shallow-fried, these spring rolls take on a golden hue and deliver a delightfully, crunchy outside not to mention the tasty morsels inside.

Before I started this recipe, I did wonder if this would work. I had visions of Thai spring rolls improperly wrapped inside the spring roll wrapper exploding everywhere when added to the hot oil.

But there was nothing to fear. Thai spring rolls are easy to wrap, they do not ooze out of the wrapper and they look pretty good.

But the proof of the pudding is in the eating and I am pleased to say not only were they perfectly crunchy but they tasted just as good as if you had gone to a Thai Restaurant.

Our recipe for Thai spring rolls contains ground pork but you can easily replace that with mushrooms if you want a vegetarian version and you will lose none of the flavor or texture contrasts with the dish.

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The History of the Spring Roll

There is little doubt spring rolls originated in China. From there they spread throughout South East Asia and are particularly popular in Vietnam, perhaps more so than in Thailand.

Spring Rolls can be made to be eaten hot or cold. If being served hot, they will be deep-fried or shallow-fried like we are doing here, and served immediately. In China and Thailand it is usual for the spring roll to be served with a thick sauce like plum or hoisin sauce.

In Vietnam, they are served with lettuce and various herbs like Vietnamese mint and Asian basil. The spring roll and herbs are wrapped inside lettuce leaves then dipped in a thin dipping sauce containing maybe soy and red chilies. Yum!

However, cold spring rolls are just as good and even easier to make. You do need to pre-cook the filling and then just soak rice paper (rather than spring roll wrappers) for 20 seconds or so and wrap the filling inside. Job done, they are ready to serve.

There is no rice paper crunch with this method but the “fresh” spring roll is just that. They’re great in summer.

Fresh spring rolls are easy to make and are great in summer as they can be prepared earlier and left in the refrigerator until you need them.

Thai Spring Rolls

As you can see in the picture below meat is treated the same as any other ingredient in Thai cooking. Color is important. Here we have orange, purple, yellow, white and the glass noodles are transparent.

The texture of the filling for Thai spring rolls is also important. As the vegetables are only lightly cooked they are still crunchy, which adds to the pleasure of this dish.

You can use spring roll wrappers, available from Chinese/Asian grocers, or rice paper, common in Vietnam and gluten-free.

It is very lightly spiced with only a dash of soy sauce in the filling, making it perfect for children. I really don’t know of a child that doesn’t like Thai spring rolls.

So for something a little different at home, why not try these? You will impress your family and friends; I can assure you.

And if you like the sound of your spring roll being wrapped in lettuce and some herbs then go right ahead. Iceberg lettuce, cilantro (coriander) and Vietnamese Mint are a great combination.

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Thai Spring Rolls

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These golden Thai spring rolls are easy to make and will impress your family and friends. For a vegetarian option, replace the ground pork with mushroom. This recipe should make 8 decent-sized spring rolls, easily enough for 4 people. I use coconut oil here but you can use an alternative.

Soak the noodles in cold water for 10 to 15 minutes. Then cut into 6 inch (15 cm) lengths.

Heat the oil over a low heat and add the garlic. Cook for 2 minutes. Then add the pork, tossing and cook until no pink remains. Then add the vegetables and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Add the soy, sugar and water. Combine well then add the prepared glass noodles and cook for about 1 minute. The glass noodles should be translucent. Take off the heat and allow to cool.

Roughly divide the mixture into 8. Start wrapping as indicated in the picture below. Make sure there is egg near the edge so the spring rolls seal.

Heat the oil over a medium-high heat and when hot deep fry for 1 to 2 minutes only. I usually test with 1 spring roll. The oil should not be smoking and should be pleasantly bubbling when the spring roll is added. If it looks good add another 3 spring rolls. I cook in 2 batches of 4. Serve with plum or hoisin sauce.

These look great! I didn’t know it was simple spring roll wrappers used to make these. Could you also eat them without the frying, like some of the fresh spring rolls I see around, or is that a different kind of wrap?

Hi Sarah, further down the post there is a link to Fresh Spring Rolls. Yes you can avoid the frying by using rice paper (not spring roll wrappers) but you need to pre-cook the filling. Thanks for your comment.

Wonderful post! I love that you go into the origins of spring rolls. I’m a total sucker for spring rolls – I can’t resist them when I’m out and they are on a menu. Will have to try and make them at home now.

Yum yum, these look incredible and I can almost hear that crispy crunch already haha. We love all the different styles you can get across Southeast Asia but blending the two with crunchy Thai spring rolls as a filling inside fresh Vietnamese rolls is divine!

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